Found a Guinea Fowl in the market today so instead of a freezer we had a Sunday roast for dinner - nothing like going off piste.
So dig out a Pinot and here’s dinner
Straightforward village Pinot but delivers in spades for what it is - no disappointments.
Apologies in advance for asking about the most tedious part of what sounds like a good dish, but - where did the bean water come back into play?
I’ve always thought it seemed a waste to chuck away the soupy, salty liquid in a can of beans, but I’ve never been able to think of anything to do with it.
(I’m aware that some claim it is possible to make meringues from chickpea canning liquor, I have no desire to test that)
I’ve heard the same said for making mayonnaise, using chickpea tin goop as an egg substitute, but hmmm.
In my experience, being served this on several occasions by vegan friends (one calling it ‘Fava water’), it’s a culinary failure. It’s a nice aspiration to have, but - like so much vegan food - it just cannot really mimic the flavour or texture of the real thing. Avocado-based vegan brownies/cakes are also an oddly flavoured attempt at ‘dessert’.
Apologies in advance to any vegans out there. I’m just not convinced 
When my daughter was following a vegan lifestyle and diet, I once made an avocado chocolate dessert that was like a chocolate tart with a digestive biscuit base. The avocado acted as the fat in the recipe and it was truly fabulous - you would never have known what the ingredients were. I’ve also had cashew nut cheesecakes which were surprisingly good.
I have had a vegan chocolate tart made with aqua fava which was beautiful. It is fair to say that I have had others which were not.
I guess there is the real possibility that my vegan friends are not very good cooks 
We were at a restaurant a while ago and just fancied some ice cream for dessert. Their menu omitted to mention that the ‘ice creams’ were vegan. They really were a poor substitute for dairy ice cream, missing the mark by a long way in our opinion.
Yes, I should have explained the saved water is to add to the stew if it gets too dry. I found I had to add it all.
OTOH, the original recipe didn’t say to cut the sausages, I deduced that info from the photo of the dish.
I can send you a scan of the original if you PM me your email address
Peru diary - phew, against fairly unpromising odds - wildcat roadblocks out of Cusco yesterday which meant the bus link to Ollotaytambo rail station was cancelled; we hired a 4 am taxi willing to run the gauntlet before things got too lively, and have managed to get to Machu Piccu - shortening the bucket list considerably. Today we are visiting the site and I’m going to clamber up Huchaypiccu in the afternoon. Due to the roadblocks and fuel protests, and the post-covid situation, the silver lining is that visitor numbers are well down at the moment. Pre covid you needed to book 6 months ahead, now there are tickets on the day.
We indulged in the Hiram Bingham train, a sort of Orient Express / Blue Train for the 1hr 45 mins to Aguas Calientes and on the journey they provide an excellent lunch and an open bar.
Entrée - Crispy maize tartlet with smoked trout, avocado and cream cheese, accompanied by…
Main - Beef skewers with an asparagus and heart of palm salsa and to go with…
and then a glass of
and dessert…
All very civilised, but a shame the wines on offer were either Chilean or Argentinean when there’s plenty of decent Peruvian wines to showcase
Thank you for the offer. We used regularly to have something very similar but sadly my wife has gone off sausages and the kids won’t eat beans (other than the salty, sweet orange variety) so this would be a bit unpopular these days.
The Waitrose veg-olives-tomatoes sauce sounds like a winner. Unfortunately Ocado has our weekly shop completely sown up and we hardly ever get to Waitrose. Another reason to regret Waitrose and Ocado going their separate ways.
Half bottle of Bollinger. A bit like fun sized mars bars, one is left with the feeling that there isn’t much fun in being sold short. Perhaps I should think about Oscar Wilde’s line about a cigarette, it is exquisite and it leaves you wanting more.
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